1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a construction tool, and more particularly, to a construction tool that includes a tie rod puller to facilitate tie rod and key plate installation onto concrete forms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many designs for tie rod pullers have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include an extraction assembly having means to slidably journal generally within a housing, where the housing has a movable plate assembly at one end. The movable plate assembly has a protrusion outwardly extending therefrom that is uniquely shaped to mount a key plate. Additionally, the housing has brackets mounted at opposite sides of the movable plate assembly, which provide space for the extraction assembly to mount onto the end of a tie rod. In operation, a key plate is mounted onto the protrusion, the instant invention is placed onto the approach side of a concrete form. The extraction head of the extraction assembly is placed onto the tie rod end and pulled sufficiently to allow placement of the key plate onto an interlocking notch of the tie rod, thus securing the concrete form.
Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,977 issued to McCallion for Smooth Rod-Gripping Apparatus. However, it differs from the present invention because McCallion teaches an apparatus for gripping a smooth, fiberglass rod. The apparatus comprising a housing, a jaw cluster within the housing, and a force tube for positioning the jaw cluster within the housing. The rod-gripping apparatus includes a first aperture and a second aperture, which facilitate passage of a rod through the apparatus. The force tube is mechanically interfitted with the jaw cluster. The jaw cluster comprises a plurality of elongated jaw members, which are generally wedge-shaped, and complementary to an inner tapered wall of the housing. The jaw cluster, which surrounds the rod, is set to or released from the rod, as desired, in response to a repositioning of the force tube relative to the housing. Therefore, the patented mechanism involves the use of an apparatus for gripping a smooth, fiberglass rod, whereas the present invention provides for the mounting of a key plate thereon, thereby facilitating its installation after a tie rod has been pulled by said present invention.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.
A construction tool, comprising a housing assembly having first and second ends. The first end has an end cap with an aperture, the second end has at least two brackets mounted thereon and a plate assembly. The brackets are at opposite sides of said plate assembly. The housing has movable means to move said plate assembly. The plate assembly has a groove and further has a protrusion with mating cooperative characteristics to receive a key plate. A pull assembly comprises an operational screw, passing through the aperture of the end cap, connects a handle and an extractor. The extractor comprises another groove to facilitate positioning and securing of a tie rod end. The instant invention has sliding means to slidably journal the extractor relative to said housing. Said end cap is mechanically interfitted to cooperate with said operational screw, in response to a rotation of said handle, so that said tie rod end is selectively brought in alignment with said first groove and secured with said second groove, thereby having unobstructed travel that permits the operation of said construction tool.
More specifically, the construction tool facilitates tie rod and key plate installation onto concrete forms. In greater detail, an embodiment may comprise a first housing having first and second ends. The first end having an end cap with an aperture, said second end having brackets mounted thereon. The first housing comprising a second housing mounted thereon. The second housing comprising a spring member that houses a shaft. The shaft secures a plate assembly, whereby said spring causes said plate assembly to bias against said second end. The plate assembly having a groove and further having a protrusion with mating cooperative characteristics to receive a key plate. A pull assembly with seventh and eighth ends comprises an operational screw, passing through said aperture, connecting a handle and an extractor, said extractor comprising a second groove, which is generally wedge-shaped, and complementary to facilitate positioning and securing of a tie rod end. Similarly, this embodiment has sliding means to slidably journal said extractor relative to said housing whereby said end cap is mechanically interfitted to cooperate with said operational screw, in response to a rotation of said handle, so that said tie rod end is selectively brought in alignment with said first groove and secured with said second groove, thereby having unobstructed travel that permits the operation of said construction tool.
The instant invention may cooperate with a variety of tie rod and key plate assemblies. However, in the preferred embodiment, the tie rod is a construction form tie comprising an elongated rod having a substantially straight middle portion of uniform cross-section. One end of the tie rod being formed with engager means adapted for operative engagement with a first chuck of an electric drill. The other end of the tie rod terminating in a drill bit larger in diameter than said middle portion. The engager means comprising a pair of diametrically-opposed wings and a second chuck having a shank adapted to be engageable in said first chuck of said electric drill. The rod being formed adjacent to said engager and adjacent to said drill bit with rows of spaced pairs of opposed squared notches adapted to be lockingly engaged with said key plates on opposite sides of said construction form.
It is therefore one of the main objects of the present invention to facilitate withdrawal of a tie rod end from a concrete form.
It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide an apparatus to pull a tie rod to enable a user to safely place a key plate thereon.
It is another object of this invention to provide a safe and efficient tie rod puller that may be utilized by the user.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a tie rod puller that may temporarily extract a tie rod end sufficiently to place a key plate thereon.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.